Multiway liquid valve



Oct. 18, 1949.

E. A. c. EICKSTAEDT MULTIWAY LIQUID VALVE Filed May 29, 1944 PatentedOct. 18, 1949 MULTIWAY LIQUID VALVE Edwin A. C. Eickstaedt, West Allis,Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Application May 29, 1944, Serial No. 537,929

The invention relates to multi-way valves, and has for one of itsobjects the provision of an improved valve construction primarilyalthough not solely adapted for use upon concrete mixing machines tocontrol the water which is supplied to the mixing chamber forincorporation into the mixture.

Under present day practice relatively accurate measurement and controlof such water is required, and the usual procedure is to first transferthe water from the available source of supply to a tank or reservoir,from which an accurately measured quantity is subsequently transferredto the mixing chamber for each batch of concrete. Various systems havebeen devised for carrying out these functions, in some of which a powerdriven pump carried by the mixing machine is employed to force the waterfrom the source of supply to the measuring tank. In some instances thearrangement is such that the said pump may also be used to withdraw thewater from the measuring tank and force it to the mixing chamber, whilein other cases the transfer from the measuring tank to the mixingchamber is accomplished solely by gravity flow.

In all these systems it is important for the sake of the requiredaccurate control of the water supplied to the mixing chamber that thevalves of the system cut ofi sharply, and prevent by-passing of themeasuring tank, or in other words, prevent direct flow from the pump tothe mixing chamber; and it is one of the principal objects of the inven-7 Claims. (Cl. 27713) through the chambers l5 and 20, and at one tion toprovide a simple and effective valve structure whereby such results maybe accomplished.

One form of such a valve is illustrated in the accompanying drawingforming a part of this specification, in which like reference charactersdesignate like parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the valve;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view on approximately theplane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view, as seen from the right of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on approximately the planeindicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking toward the right.

As here shown, the valve body Ill comprises two hollow members II and I2normally secured together in end-to-end relationship by bolts l3. Theinterior of the body member ll provides a valve chamber l5 whichcommunicates through a port l6 formed in the end wall I! of the chamber,

with a pipe l8 which may lead to the mixing chamber of the concretemixer. A pipe l9 also communicates with the valve chamber [5 at the sidethereof, and leads to the water measuring tank or receptacle mentionedabove.

The interior of the valve body member [2 provides a chamber 20 to whichwater from the pump may be supplied by a pipe 2|, and said chamber 20communicates with chamber l5 of body member ll through a port 22 formedin the end wall 23 of the body member l2. The ports l6 and 22 aresurrounded respectively by seats 24 and 25 facing one another, as willbe clear from Fig. 2.

A valve stem comprising a rod 26 passes axially end carries a valvemember 21 of a size adapted to have a sliding fit in the port [6, asshown in said Fig. 2. Behind the said valve member the :stem 26 carriesa yieldable washer 28 of rubber or equivalent material, which is adaptedto be. compressed against the seat 24 to completely seal the port l6against the passage of liquid therethrough when the parts are in thefull line positions of Fig. 2. Backing the washer 28 is a spiderassociated parts, are disposed in the valve chamber l5, and they aremaintained in appropriate spaced relation on the stem 26 by a sleeve 34,

whereby through reciprocating movements of the stem the valve members 21and 3| may be alternately entered into their respective ports I6 and 22,and their companion washers 28 and 32 alternately compressed againsttheir respective seats 24 and 25.

The chamber 20 of the body member I2 has a cylindrical extension 35 inwhich is mounted a piston 36 carried by the stem 26 and maintained inspaced relation to the valve member 3! by a spacing sleeve 31. The saidpiston abuts a shoulder 38- formed on the stem 26, and it, together withthe parts 31, 3|, 32, 33, 34, 29, 28 and 21 are rigidly retained inposition on the stem by a nut 39 threaded on the end of the latter. Thepiston 36 is subject to the pressure of thewater supplied to the chamber20 by the pump, and the effective area of the said piston is slightlygreater than that of the valve 3|, and slightly less than that of thevalve elements 28, 29. Thus, when the parts are in the full linepositions shown in Fig. 2 the pressure on the spider 29 slightlyoverbalances that on the piston 36 and tends to hold the valve structure21, 28 in its closed position, while when the parts are inoved t6 thebroken line positions of said figure the ressure on the piston slightlyoverbalances that on the valve member 3| and tends to hold this valveclosed.

The movements of the valves may be accomplished by means of abifurcatedlever 40 one end of which is pivotally mounted as at 4| on anextension 42 of the body member l2, and to the other end of which anoperating rod 43 is connected. The arms of the said lever are providedwith slots 44 receiving trunnions 45 of a collar 46 which is slidablymounted on the stem 26 for lost-motion movement between a pair ofwashers or similar abutments 4i and 48 car'- ried by the said stem andpositioned thereon 537' pins 49 and G. I I

since the pressure differentials between the pis ton 36 and therespective valve structures are not great in order that the valvemovements may be accomplished with a minimum of force, detent means arepreferably provided to additionally insure retention of the parts in theclosed posi-' tion of each of the valves 2! and 3|, whereby to guardagainst the unintentional opening of such valves. As here shown,- suchmeans comprise a detent bar 5| having one end fulcrumed on a boss 52formed on the body member l2. This end portion of the said bar is formedwith an aperture 53 for the reception of a lug 54 which extends upwardlyfrom the said boss, whereby lateral arid longitudinal displacement ofthe bar is prevented. The bar is pressed downwardly by a compressionspring 55 surrounding a bolt 56 which isattached to the body member !2and is provided with nuts 51 by means of which the force exerted by thespring- 55 may be varied as desired. At its outer end, which extendsbetween the arms of the bifurcated lever 4|], the bar is bent to providethe spaced oppositely disposed angularly extending portions 58 and 59which are adapted to be engaged by and co-operate with a roller 60journalled in the said lever arms, as will be clear from Figs. 2 and 3.Thus, as either of the valve members 21 and 31 approaches itsclosedposition,- the roller 60 is brought into co-operative engagement withone or the other of the angularly disposed bar portions 58 and 55 andthrough the pressure exerted by the spring 55 on the bar the parts willbe retained in such position. The lost motion provided between thecollar 46 and the abutments 4T, 48 permitsthe roller 50 to be moved outof engagement with the respective detent portions 58 and 59 of the bar5| before movement is imparted to the stem 26 to unseat each valve.

The valve members 21 and 3| are so spaced upon the rod 25 that, assumingthe parts to be in the full line positions shown in Fig. 2, uponmovement to the right toward the broken line positions illustratedtherein, the valve member 3| will be almost ready to begin its entryinto the port 22 before the valve member 2'! completely leaves its portl6, and as the movement is fairly rapid there is substantially noopportunity for liquid to by-pass directly from the pump to the mixingchamber; and of course the same is true during movement from the brokento the full line positions. Thus; all liquid sup plied to the mixingchamber must come from the measuring tank, and the accuracy of thequantities supplied is preserved.

As above explained, the entry of either of the slide-fit valve members21 or 3l' into its port IE or 22 substantially cuts off the flow ofliquid through such port, and the subsequent commessidfi of theyieldable washers 2s and 32 against their respective seats 24 and 25completely seals the ports [5 and 22 against the passage of liquid. Thisaction is facilitated through the ecu-operation of the roller 60 withthe inclined portions 58 and 59 of the spring pressed assent bar 5|.

While one fdrm er the invention has been illusseated and desalted, itwill be obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details ofconstruction as well as the precise arrangement of parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is notwished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be requiredby the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multi way valve, a body providing a valve chamber having a pairof spaded ports, and an intake chamber having a port-coinmuiii eatingwith said valve chamber in alinemen't with and spaced from one or saidfirst named ports, each of such allne'd ports being surrounded by aseat; a valve stem mounted in the body for reciprocation co-ax'iallywith said alined ports; a pair of valve members carried by said stem foralternative sliding engagement in the respective alined ports w'herebyto cut off flow of fluid through one of such p'orts while opening theother; a compressible washer carriedby the stem behind each of saidvalve members for pressural engagement with the seat of the port controlled by such member in sequence to entry of the member into suchport, to completely seal the port against fluid flow; a piston carriedby the valve stem in a portion of said intake chamber, said piston being'subject to and operable by the pressure of fluid introduced into thein: take chamber to overbalance the effect of such pressure upon one ofthe valve members and under-balance such effect on the other member; andmeans for reciprocating said valve stem.

2. In a multi-way valve, a body providing a valve chamber having a pairof spaced ports, arid an intake chamber having a port communicating withsaid valve chamber in alinement with arid spaced from one of said firstnamed ports, each of such'alined ports being surrounded by a seat;

a valve stem mounted in' the body for reciprocation co-axially with saidalined ports; a pair of valve members carried by said stein foralternative sliding engagement in the respective aline'd ports wherebyto out 01f flow of fluid through one of such ports while opening theother; a compressible washer carried by the stem behind each of saidvalve members for pressural engagement with the seat of the portcontrolled by such member in sequence to entry of the member into suchport, to completely seal the port against fluid flow; a piston carriedby the valve stem in a por-' tion of said intake chamber, said pistonbeing subject to and operable by the pressure or fluid introduced intothe intake chamber to overb'ah ance the effect of such pressure upon oneof the valve members and to underbalance such effect on the othermember; a; spider carried by the tween the piston and adjacent valvemember; and means for reciprocating said valve stem.

3. In a multi-way valve, a body providing a valve chamber having a pairof spaced ports, and an intake chamber having a port communicating withsaid valve chamber in alinement with'and spaced from one of said firstnamed ports; a reciprocatable valve stem disposed co-axially with saidalined ports; a pair of valve members carried by said stem foralternative sliding engagement in the respective alined ports to closethe latter; a piston carried by the valve stem in said intake chamber,said piston being subject to and operable by the pressure of fluidintroduced into such chamber to overbalance and underbalance the effectof such pressure upon the respective valve members; a lever pivoted tothe valve body, for reciprocating the valve stem; and a detent barmounted on the valve body and co-operable with said lever to yieldablyretain the parts in either of the valve-closing positions.

4. In a multi-way valve, a body providing a valve chamber having a pairof spaced ports, and an intake chamber having a port communicating withsaid valve chamber in alinement with and spaced from one of said firstnamed ports; a reciprocatable valve stem disposed co-axially with saidalined ports; a pair of valve members carried by said stem foralternative sliding engagement in the respective alined ports to closethe latter; a piston carried by the valve stem in said intake chamber,said piston being subject to and operable by the pressure of fluidintroduced into such chamber to respectively overbalance andunderbalance the effect of such pressure upon the two valve members; alever pivoted to the valve body, for reciprocating the valve stem; aroller carried by said lever; and a spring pressed detent bar mounted onthe valve body and having oppositely inclined angularly disposedportions co-operable with said lever roller to yieldably retain theparts in either of the valve-closing positions.

5. In a multi-way valve, the combination of a body providing a valvechamber having an inlet and an outlet port; valve means for controllingthe respective ports, mounted in said chamber for unitary movementbetween alternative positions in each of which one of the ports is openwhile the other is closed, the respective valve means havingdifferential areas subject to pressure of fluid in the body; means formoving said valve means between said positions; and a piston mounted. inthe body and connected to the valve means, said piston also beingsubject to said fluid pressure and having an efiective pressure areaintermediate the pressure areas of the respective valve means, wherebythe pressure effect on the piston may overbalance the pressure efiect onone of the valve means and underbalance that on the other valve means.

6. In a multi-Way valve, the combination of a body providing a valvechamber having an inlet and an outlet port; a valve member for each ofsaid ports, said members being mounted in said chamber for unitarymovements between alternative positions in each of' which one of theports is open while the other is closed, the respective valve membersbeing subject to pressure of fluid in the body, and the membercontrolling the outlet port having a greater effective pressure areathan the one controlling the inlet port; means for moving said valvemembers between said positions; and a piston mounted in the body andconnected to the valve members, said piston also being subject to saidfluid pressure and having an effective pressure area intermediate thepressure areas of the respective valve members, whereby the pressureeffect on the piston may overbalance the pressure efiect on the valvemem ber controlling the inlet port, and underbalance that on the valvemember controlling the outlet port.

7. In a mutli-way valve, the combination of a body providing a valvechamber having an inlet port and an outlet port; a valve member for eachof said ports, mounted in said chamber for unitary movements betweenalternative positions in each of which one of the ports is open whilethe other is closed, the respective valve members being subject topressure of fluid in the valve body, and the outlet valve member beingof greater diameter than the inlet valve member; means for shifting thevalve members between said positions; and a piston mounted in the valvebody and connected to said valve members, one side of said piston alsobeing subject to said fluid pressure, and the piston being of a diametergreater than that of the inlet valve member but less than that of theoutlet valve member, whereby the pressure effect on the piston mayoverbalance the pressure effect on the inlet valve member andunderbalance that on the outlet valve member.

EDWIN A. C. EICKSTAEDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 589,124 Evertsen Aug. 31, 18972,184,793 Clench Dec. 26, 1939 2,222,346 Eickstaedt Nov. 19, 1940FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,467 Great Britain Aug. 2, i939

